2024 Olympics Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Tatum Ready To Move On After ‘Challenging’ Olympic Experience

August 29th, 2024 at 5:40pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Jayson Tatum‘s benching became one of the big storylines during Team USA’s run to the gold medal in the Paris Olympics. The Celtics star didn’t see the court in the team’s opening game against Serbia. He did play in four of the other five games and says he’s not bitter over his modest role.

“I wasn’t moping around. I didn’t have an attitude. I wasn’t angry at the world,” Tatum told Jared Weiss of The Athletic. “I stayed ready and did what was asked of me and I won a gold medal, right?”

The first-game benching was big news and Tatum was well aware of it.

“It was a lot. In the age of social media, you see everything,” Tatum said. “You see all the tweets and the people on the podcasts and people on TV giving their opinion on whether they thought it was a good decision or it was an outrageous decision or whatever. Obviously, I wanted to contribute more, and I’ve never been in (this) situation. I started playing basketball at (age) three at the YMCA, and I’ve never not played, so it was different and it was challenging.”

Tatum, who also won a gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics, averaged 5.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.0 steals in 17.7 minutes in his Olympic appearances this summer.

If there was a lingering issue to come out of his individual Olympic performances, it’s that his jump shot went AWOL. He shot 38.1% overall and missed all four of his 3-point tries.

Tatum also struggled from long range throughout the NBA playoffs, as he made only 39-of-138 three-point attempts (28.3%). He was still an offensive force while winning the first championship ring of his career, posting averages of 25.0 points and 6.3 assists in 19 playoff games.

He isn’t concerned that his shooting woes will carry into next season.

“I have two (gold medals) now, I have a championship, and everything doesn’t necessarily go the way you expect it to go, right?” Tatum said. “I’ve learned to be like, ‘OK, that’s a part of it.’ You move on, and I’m getting ready to enjoy the last little weeks I have before the season starts and get ready for another season.”

Tatum was one of several Celtics who received extensions after the season. He was rewarded with a five-year, super-max contract that will begin in 2025/26. He’s not going to rest on his laurels as Boston aims to become the first team since Golden State in 2017-18 to win back-to-back titles.

“I’m of the mindset that after ring night, in a weird way, we got to put that behind (us),” he said. “Last year was last year. We did it. It was a dream come true. We worked our (butt) off for it. But after ring night, we gotta move on. We gotta get ready for game two.”

Atlantic Notes: Knicks Storylines, Drummond, Tatum, Holiday

August 28th, 2024 at 5:59pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Following a 50-32 season in 2023/24, the Knicks underwent a couple significant changes this summer, acquiring All-Defensive Team swingman Mikal Bridges and losing center Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency. Ahead of training camp, Fred Katz of The Athletic reflects on some of the top storylines in New York, including All-Star forward Julius Randle‘s fit on the new-look squad, how All-NBA point guard Jalen Brunson will quarterback the club’s offense, and more.

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

The Sixers reacquired reserve center Andre Drummond in free agency this summer. Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer spoke with Bulls beat reporter Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune about what to expect from the 6’11” big man, after he spent two years in the Windy City. Poe notes that Drummond, though a great rebounder, struggled to carve out a significant role behind starter Nikola Vucevic, in part due to his erratic rim protection and finishing efficiency.
Appearing at a Raising Cane’s event on Wednesday, Celtics combo guard Jrue Holiday discussed teammate Jayson Tatum‘s limited role for Team USA during the 2024 Olympics, per Souichi Terada of MassLive. “I think everybody knows JT — he’s the ultimate professional,” Holiday said. “He already knows what it is and what the ultimate goal is. I don’t think he needed any encouragement. I think it’s more so like staying ready whenever it’s his time to be called.” The All-Defensive Second Team guard had a bigger, more consistent role in the Paris games than Tatum did. Tatum was benched entirely during the Americans’ semifinal game against Serbia.
In case you missed it, former Knicks All-Star Carmelo Anthony recently revealed that New York offered him a bench role when he last hit free agency, in 2022.

Olympic Notes: Murray, Yabusele, Giddey, Barrett, More

August 14th, 2024 at 8:44pm CST by Arthur Hill

There are concerns about Jamal Murray following a lackluster Olympic performance with Team Canada, writes John Hollinger of The Athletic. After dealing with injuries during the latter part of the season, the Nuggets guard was limited to 36.6% true shooting and a 4.7 PER in four Olympic games.

While Hollinger admits that’s a small sample size, he notes that Murray wasn’t any better in Canada’s exhibition contests and didn’t look like the same player he was during Denver’s 2023 title run. Hollinger observes that Murray played without “zip” while having a hard time getting separation from his defender and finishing at the rim. If there’s a physical issue affecting Murray, it could be a significant story heading into training camp and the start of the season, Hollinger adds.

A report in late June stated that the Nuggets and Murray were nearing agreement on a four-year, $208MM extension. Hollinger wonders if the team might be reconsidering that offer in light of Murray’s recent downturn.

Hollinger shares a few more thoughts on the Olympics:

Guerschon Yabusele helped his NBA prospects tremendously with his Olympic performance, but Hollinger is skeptical that he’ll join the league this season. A league source confirms to Hollinger that Yabusele has a $2.5MM buyout in his contract with Real Madrid. Any NBA team that signs him would have to pay that amount, which would count against the cap above the $850K maximum international buyout, along with Yabusele’s salary. Hollinger sees a better chance for Yabusele to return to the NBA next summer when he’ll be a free agent.
Australia used Josh Giddey as its primary ball-handler, a role he’ll assume with the Bulls this season. Hollinger points out that although Giddey could have used better outside shooting around him, he was effective running the offense. He made 11 three-pointers in four games, easing some of the concerns about him in Oklahoma City, while taking on a 30% usage rate.
Hollinger believes Raptors swingman RJ Barrett could be headed for a breakout season. Playing for Canada, Barrett ranked fourth in the Olympics in scoring at 19.8 PPG with 58/44/84 shooting splits. Hollinger adds that Barrett was impressive after being traded to Toronto last season and should have a high-usage role on a rebuilding team.
Khem Birch may have sparked NBA interest after being Canada’s top center in France, per Hollinger. Birch will be 32 by the time training camps open, but Hollinger suggests he could fill a role as a third center.
Mathias Lessort, who helped France reach the gold medal game, could be a “last-resort option” for the Knicks next summer if they still haven’t found a reliable backup center, Hollinger states. The 29-year-old big man is under contract with Panathinaikos in Greece this season.
Isaac Bonga is a free agent after wrapping up a strong Olympics with Germany. Hollinger notes that Bonga is only 24 and could return to the NBA and a three-and-D specialist, even if it doesn’t happen right away.

International Notes: NBA Candidates, Besson, Bender, Cannady

August 12th, 2024 at 4:11pm CST by Rory Maher

Forward Guerschon Yabusele, who recently expressed a desire to return to the NBA, tops Mark Deeks of HoopsHype’s list of 10 players from the 2024 Olympics who deserve a look from NBA teams. Two of Yabusele’s teammates on the French national team — Mathias Lessort (No. 2) and Isaia Cordinier (No. 8) — also made the cut.

Here are a few more international notes:

Bucks draft-and-stash prospect Hugo Besson, the No. 58 pick of the 2022 draft, will play for Turkey’s Manisa Buyuksehir Belediye Spor during the 2024/25 season, per Fersu Yahyabeyoglu of Eurobasket.com (hat tip to Keith Smith of Spotrac). The French guard played in Serbia and Italy last season.
Former No. 4 overall pick Dragan Bender is rumored to be joining GeVi Napoli in Italy, writes Dario Skerletic of Sportando. Bender suffered major ACL injuries in May 2021 and December 2022 and evidently is still recovering. “Bender is part of the team philosophy we are building,” Napoli athletic director Alessandro Dalla Salda told La Repubblica. “But to get back on top he needs time, so we may sign a player while waiting for his return.” The 26-year-old last played in the NBA in 2019/20.
Guard Devin Cannady, who played 13 games with the Magic over two different seasons, has signed with Panionios B.C., the Greek club announced in a press release. It’s the first international stop for the former Princeton star, who played for the NBA G League’s Birmingham Squadron (the Pelicans’ affiliate) in ’23/24.

Tyrese Haliburton Had “Minor Leg Injury” During Olympics

August 12th, 2024 at 1:20pm CST by Rory Maher

Pacers star point guard Tyrese Haliburton dealt with a “minor leg injury” and underwent an MRI during the Olympics, sources tell Brian Windhorst of ESPN.

Haliburton was essentially Team USA’s 12th man during the Olympics in Paris, which concluded on Sunday. He averaged just 8.8 minutes per game in his three appearances; the Americans went 6-0 to claim the gold medal, so the 24-year-old didn’t play at all in three contests, including the semifinal and final.

Haliburton was hampered during the 2023/24 season with a hamstring strain he sustained in January. While he ultimately appeared in 69 games and made the All-NBA Third Team, securing an extension that starts at 30% (instead of 25%) of the salary cap, his effectiveness was clearly diminished post-injury. Haliburton wound up missing his final two postseason games vs. Boston with a hamstring injury as well.

There’s no indication that the leg issue Haliburton was managing during the Olympics is a cause for concern going forward, given Windhorst’s description. Still, it’s a noteworthy event when a player like Haliburton — one of Team USA’s top performers at the 2023 World Cup — undergoes an MRI.

Olympic Notes: James, Kerr, Collet, Attendance, Micic

August 11th, 2024 at 7:22pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Could a 43-year-old LeBron James play in the Los Angeles Games in 2028? The Lakers superstar doubts that will happen, Marc J. Spears of Andscape writes.

“No, I can’t see myself playing in L.A. I also didn’t see myself playing in Paris,” he said. “But four years from now, now I can’t see it.”

A 39-year-old James was certainly a huge factor in Team USA’s triumph. James averaged 14.2 points, 8.5 assists, 6.8 rebounds and 1.3 steals and earned Olympic Most Valuable Player honors.

“It’s an honor,” he said. “I don’t know who the voting committee, or whatever the case may be, but super-humbled that they even voted for me,” James said. “But it came with us winning gold and that’s what’s more important for me. It’s pretty cool.”

We have more on the Olympics:

It shouldn’t have come as a surprise that the tournament provided plenty of drama and high-quality play, culminating with tense games in the semifinals and final, according to Team USA coach Steve Kerr. “It didn’t surprise me. There’s a reason these guys sign up for this,” he said, per Aris Barkas of Eurohoops.net. “The Olympics are special and all these guys play for two things. They play for the NBA championships and Olympic golds. Those are the highest, those are the pinnacles of success as a player in the NBA, in America. … It’s no accident they can do what they do during crunch time. When you see these guys behind the scenes and how much they love the process, it all makes sense why they’re as good as they are.”
France’s head coach Vincent Collet believes the loss in the gold medal game was a blown opportunity for his squad, according to Barkas. “We could do more but you have to do the perfect game and we didn’t do it at all,” Collet said. “Still, I really think with a little bit more, we could push them much more. Okay, we did it, we were not too far but I’m sure we could do better. We had the chance, We didn’t take it and we must think about it next time.”
The Paris Olympics set an attendance record for basketball, previously held by Atlanta in 1996, Sportando relays. According to BasketEurope, a total of 1,068,032 spectators attended the men’s and women’s games, an average attendance was 20,737 spectators per game. The attendance record was made even more impressive by the fact that just 52 games were played, 40 fewer than in the 1996 edition in Atlanta.
Hornets guard Vasilije Micic finished the Olympics on a high note, scoring 19 points as Serbia defeated Germany, 93-83, for the bronze medal. “We are still a little bit short for a gold or silver. But still, this bronze shines like gold for us,” Micic said, per Barkas.

Team USA Notes: Booker, Curry, Legacies, Durant

August 11th, 2024 at 3:00pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Though Devin Booker generally wasn’t one of Team USA’s primary offensive options in the club’s run to gold at the Paris Olympics, ranking just fifth on the team in points per game, head coach Steve Kerr made it clear that the Suns’ All-Star guard provided an essential, steady two-way presence, David Aldridge of The Athletic (Twitter link).

“He was incredible this entire round,” Kerr said of Booker’s play during the knockout games. “Just what he does, play to play to play. Rock solid. Completely changed his role from the NBA to now. He was kind of our unsung MVP. I just wanted to say that.”

There’s more out of Team USA:

During the 98-87 gold medal game win against Team France on Saturday, 10-time Warriors All-Star Stephen Curry saved the day by shooting 4-of-4 from long range in the game’s final three minutes, making his final three-pointer over a double team. Even by Curry’s lofty standards, he had a night to remember, writes Aldridge in an article for The Athletic. “Coach (Kerr) reminded me, at a certain point, early, the game will come to you if you allow it,” Curry said. “And even if I was missing shots, just stay engaged. And that kind of fed into being locked in for these last two games, because the game called for me to get shots up, and knock them down. … you just stay confident, stay present, and don’t get rattled by the moment.”
Nabbing a gold medal in Paris helped seal the historic legacies of several Team USA personal, opines Sam Amick of The Athletic. Thirty-nine-year-old LeBron James, 36-year-old Curry, and 35-year-old Kevin Durant may have put the finishing touches on their international careers with this summer’s victory. It was Curry’s first Olympic medal, James’ third gold and fourth medal overall (he won bronze on that infamous 2004 team), and Durant’s record-breaking fourth gold. Curry had won gold at two FIBA World Cup events, but had never participated in an Olympics. “It’s everything I imagined, and more,” Curry said. “The guys in that locker room, we all signed up for the mission to continue USA Basketball dominance. Obviously, I understand it’s gonna be a really tough task, with some great teams that we’re gonna have to face, and there’s a sense of relief at the end, but it’s more a sense of accomplishment, obviously, knowing what we were able to do.”
Durant explained how the team that James has nicknamed the ‘Paris Avengers’ got together, per Aris Barkas of Eurohoops. “[Team USA managing director Grant Hill and Kerr] came to Brooklyn and they tried to get me to play in the World Cup,” Durant said. “So I knew how important it was for us to be here for 2024 and kind of committed there. And I think last summer, Bron had started texting everybody, giving his input on who should be on the team and if everybody was playing. And so when you start sending those texts out, I kind of knew we were all gonna get together.” Having Curry onboard for the first time in the Olympics made it all click, according to Durant: “This was a special time. I knew Steph was gonna play, as he had never been on an Olympic team before. He had a couple of world championships but never won an Olympic medal. So it was a no-brainer, especially when them two committed. And once the team was built, I kind of knew it was gonna be special.”

Olympic Notes: France, Hill, Lue, Spoelstra, Winners & Losers

August 11th, 2024 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Team USA has defeated France in the gold medal game in each of the last two Olympics, but the challenge could be more difficult if they meet again in four years, writes Brian Windhorst of ESPN. Both games have been extremely close, and while the U.S. will likely lose several veteran stars by 2028, French basketball appears to be on the rise.

It starts with Victor Wembanyama, who is already a force at age 20 and could be the best player in the world by the next Olympiad. He led France with 15.8 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game this year and is already looking ahead to his next Olympics opportunity.

“Nobody knows what’s going to happen, but what’s for sure is we’re growing. Basketball is growing here,” Wembanyama said after Saturday’s game. “Nobody is going to take [this experience] from me. I’m learning and I’m worried for the opponents in a couple years.”

France had the top two selections in this year’s NBA draft, Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr, neither of whom played in the Olympics. French guard Nolan Traore is projected to go in the 2025 lottery and could be part of a loaded roster in 2028.

Nicolas Batum, who retired from international basketball on Saturday after a long career, believes France is ready to challenge the Americans for Olympic superiority.

“The U.S. is still the best team in the world but we’re getting closer and closer,” he said. “We respect them, but we’re not scared of them. We’ll just go out there and try to beat them.”

There’s more from the Olympics:

USA Basketball managing director Grant Hill is looking forward to a break after overseeing a fifth straight gold medal, according to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. The U.S. won’t have another major international tournament until the 2027 World Cup in Qatar, so he’ll have some time to think about assembling the next roster. “Over four years, a lot can and will happen,” Hill said. “Now, getting away from it a little bit, just letting things play out and see how guys continue to develop and see what kind of season guys have over the next year or so. And then, at some point, you start that process all over again.”
Assistants Tyronn Lue and Erik Spoelstra appear to be the favorites to succeed Steve Kerr as Team USA’s head coach, Reynolds adds in the same piece. Kerr committed to coach in the 2023 World Cup and this year’s Olympics when he took over for Gregg Popovich.
As the Olympics prepare to wrap up, Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today picks winners and losers from the men’s basketball competition. Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Team USA are obvious winners, along with France and Serbia for also capturing medals. Zillgitt’s losers are Canada, Germany, Australia and Spain, which all went home empty-handed despite high expectations, along with Nikola Jokic, whom Zillgitt criticizes for not talking to the media during his brilliant performance.

Celtics Notes: Tatum, Yabusele, LeBron, Sale

August 11th, 2024 at 10:30am CST by Arthur Hill

Celtics star Jayson Tatum was often the odd man out in Team USA’s lineups, but he won’t let this year’s Olympic experience affect his availability for international basketball in the future, writes Brian Windhorst of ESPN. Tatum didn’t get off the bench in two of the six U.S. games, including the semifinal matchup with Serbia. He saw 11 minutes in Saturday’s gold medal contest, finishing with two points and three rebounds.

“It was a tough personal experience on the court, but I’m not going to make any decision off emotions,” Tatum said. “If you asked me right now if I was going to play in 2028 — it is four years from now and I [would have] to take time and think about that. So I’m not going to make any decision based off how this experience was or how I felt individually.”

Tatum’s surprising lack of playing time was one of the few controversies affecting this version of Team USA. He’s among the best players in the world, earning first-team All-NBA honors last season while winning his first championship and appearing in his fifth straight All-Star Game. Coach Steve Kerr explained numerous times that Tatum’s minutes were the result of matchups and having so many talented players on the roster. Tatum said at Saturday’s post-game press conference that he received a lot of feedback from supporters.

“A lot of people text me and reached out and said ‘Make sure this fuels you,’ which I appreciate. There’s a lot of people that care about me,” he said. “I think the tough part is yes, you can use things to fuel you, but I’m still human. … Part of being in the moment, I’ve sacrificed and put a lot into this game and work really, really hard. So in the moment it is tough. You’re not necessarily worried about fueling me for November or [whenever] the season is, but like I said, it’s something I’m going to take away from this and learn from this experience. It’s definitely challenging and humbling at the same time.”

There’s more on the Celtics:

Former Celtic Guerschon Yabusele used the Olympics to show that he’s one of the best players outside the NBA, observes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. He averaged 14 points per game and earned second-team honors while helping France capture the silver medal. Washburn notes that Yabusele was an undersized power forward without a developed shooting touch when he played for Boston from 2017-19, but he has refined his game and gotten into excellent shape during his three seasons with Real Madrid.
It’s possible that LeBron James could eventually become a part owner of the Celtics, according to Josh Kosman of The New York Post. Boston’s longtime rival is a business partner with Fenway Sports Group and RedBird Capital, who are considering making a bid for the shares being sold by Wyc Grousbeck. James couldn’t be part of an ownership group while he’s an active player, but there’s a chance he’ll be retired by the time the sale is finalized in 2028.
The Celtics’ value has been estimated at $5.12 billion, according to Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams of Sportico, who report that the franchise has hired JPMorgan Chase and BDT & MSD to oversee the sale.

Olympic Notes: Durant, Batum, Wembanyama, Awards

August 10th, 2024 at 9:50pm CST by Arthur Hill

After becoming the first men’s basketball player with four Olympic gold medals, could Kevin Durant stick around long enough to try for a fifth? He hinted at that possibility at Saturday’s post-game press conference when asked about the 2028 Games in Los Angeles, writes Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.

“Records are meant to be broken,” Durant said. “My goal was always to represent my country, my state, my street, my family name. And help to push the game forward. Since I’ve been there, I’ve done that. We’ve built on the 1992 Dream Team, and I’m glad we managed to carry it over. Regarding L.A., who knows, man? We’ll see.”

Durant is still playing at an All-Star level at age 35, and he’s under contract with the Suns for two more seasons. If he decides to extend his career beyond that, he’ll be the same age that LeBron James is now when the 2028 Olympics roll around.

Durant is one of the most accomplished players in Olympics history and is among eight men who have reached 500 career points. He passed Carmelo Anthony as the men’s all-time leading scorer for Team USA, and he recently eclipsed Lisa Leslie as well.

“For me, it’s about pushing the game forward on the biggest stage, helping USA Basketball,” Durant added. “I didn’t even think about who is the best player. You just try to contribute as much as you can to the big picture.”

There’s more from Paris:

Nicolas Batum‘s long career with the French national team ended with today’s loss in the gold medal game, according to BasketNews. Appearing on French television, Batum announced his retirement from international competition. “It was my last one with this jersey,” he said. “I spent 15 years playing four World Cups, four EuroBaskets and four Olympics. I did what I had to do: seven medals. I’m happy.”
Victor Wembanyama savored the chance to compete for a medal on his home soil, Urbonas tweets. The 20-year-old phenom was a crowd favorite throughout the tournament and was at his best in Saturday’s game, finishing with 26 points and seven rebounds. “It’s an incredible experience,” he said. “The anthem is one of my favorite parts. I know I’m only 20, but I don’t know when that will happen again. And it makes me want to cry again. It was just such a chance.”
Wembanyama was named to the All-Star Five, which recognizes the best players in the Olympics, along with Team USA’s James and Stephen Curry, Germany’s Dennis Schröder and Serbia’s Nikola Jokic, FIBA announced (via Twitter). Making up the second team are Canada’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Serbia’s Bogdan Bogdanovic, Germany’s Franz Wagner, France’s Guerschon Yabusele and Greece’s Giannis Antetokounmpo. James was selected as Olympics MVP, Wembanyama is the Rising Star, France’s Vincent Collet is the Best Coach and Serbia’s Aleksa Avramovic is the Best Defensive Player.